As Juventus and Barcelona prepare to clash in the final of this season’s Champions League, Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has sent a message to two players who are likely to play a significant role in the action.

Barcelona forward Neymar has scored 38 goals in 50 matches for the Spanish side this season and will be hoping to add to that tally before the campaign is done, while Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is continuing to blossom into an outstanding player, featuring 40 times for the Serie A champions, scoring 10 goals and setting up 11 more in the process.

And now Balotelli has sent a special message to the two of them on Twitter, wishing them luck for the crunch encounter and declaring them the two best young players in the world right now.

While there are plenty of talented footballers across Europe and beyond, few would doubt Pogba is now the best young central midfielder out there, a constant reminder to Manchester United about what they let slip through their fingers; while Neymar has continued to impress at the Nou Camp alongside the sparkling talent of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Balotelli has not had the same kind of season at Liverpool, failing to live up to his reputation and scoring rarely.

His poor form means his future could be in doubt, with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers needing strikers he can rely on to score regularly as the Reds look to get back into the top four next season.

But whatever next year brings, for now it is all about this weekend’s showpiece event, with Balotelli writing, “Good luck tonight to my brothers Neymar and Paul Pogba; best young stars in the football world now.”

Vincent Ralph

After graduating with a degree in English Literature, Vincent completed a NCTJ-accredited qualification in newspaper and magazine journalism in 2005. Shortly after, in a somewhat leftfield move, he began working at a secondary school in Kent. After eight years – the last four of which were spent as Head of Sixth Form – he began to write full-time, combining his love of football with his passion for the written word.Alongside his work for HITC Sport, he also writes film reviews for HITC Lifestyle… along with the odd music interview when fate allows.